Amsonia plant named ‘Verdant Venture’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Amsonia plant named ‘Verdant Venture’ that is characterized by its flower clusters that are held above the foliage and are not partially masked by the foliage, its petals that are short and broad in size, its lower growing plant habit, its narrow foliage and stems, its leaf margins that are strongly rolled inward, its stems that are finely pubescent.

Botanical classification: Amsonia ciliata var. tenuifolia.

Cultivar designation: ‘Verdant Venture’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Amsoniaciliata var. tenuifolia named ‘Verdant Venture’ and will be referred tohereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Verdant Venture’. The new cultivarrepresents a new herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The new cultivar was selected as a seedling in a trial field by theInventor in Glencoe, Ill. The trial field was originally planted withseeds of unnamed and unpatented plants of Amsonia ciliata var.tenuifolia. Rounds of open pollination and selection occurred in 2009and 2010 and the most compact and uniform plants were kept for furtherevaluation. The seeds were pooled when collected; the exact parentage of‘Verdant Venture’ is therefore unknown. ‘Verdant Venture’ was selectedas a single unique plant from the trials in October 2013.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by shoottip cuttings by the Inventor in June of 2015 in Glencoe, Ill. Asexualpropagation by shoot tip cuttings and whole shoot cuttings hasdetermined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Verdant Venture’ as a unique cultivar of Amsonia.

-   -   1. ‘Verdant Venture’ exhibits flower clusters that are held        above the foliage and are not partially masked by the foliage.    -   2. ‘Verdant Venture’ exhibits petals that are short and broad in        size.    -   3. ‘Verdant Venture’ exhibits a lower growing plant habit.    -   4. ‘Verdant Venture’ exhibits narrow foliage and stems.    -   5. ‘Verdant Venture’ exhibits leaf margins that are strongly        rolled inward.    -   6. ‘Verdant Venture’ exhibits stems that are finely pubescent.    -   7. ‘Verdant Venture’ exhibits a distinct, narrow band of white        visible on the mouth of the corolla.

All of the potential seed parents of ‘Verdant Venture’ differ from‘Verdant Venture’ in having taller plant height with more irregularplant habits and a lower proportion of flowering stems to total stems.‘Verdant Venture’ can also be compared to the Amsonia cultivars ‘GeorgiaPancake’ (not patented) and ‘Spring Sky’ (not patented). ‘GeorgiaPancake’ is similar to ‘Verdant Venture’ in having threadlike foliagewith rolled leaf margins and stems that are finely pubescent. ‘GeorgiaPancake’ differs from ‘Verdant Venture’ in having a shorter plantheight, flowers that are lighter violet-blue at anthesis with larger andmore diffused white patches by the corolla throat, and an overall moreopen, irregular plant habit due to having nearly prostrate stems.‘Spring Sky’ is similar to ‘Verdant Venture’ in having inflorescencesthat are held above the foliage and flower petals that are short inlength and broad in width. ‘Spring Sky’ differs from ‘Verdant Venture’in having stems and leaf margins that are conspicuously denselypubescent, leaf margins that are not strongly rolled, less reliablewinter hardiness and lower vigor in U.S.D.A Zone 5.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosures include but may not be limited towebsite listings by Chicago Botanic Garden, University of Minnesota,Fine Gardening, and Intrinsic Perennial Gardens.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Amsonia. The photographs weretaken of ‘Verdant Venture’ as grown in a trial garden in Glencoe, Ill.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of a6-year-old plant of ‘Verdant Venture’ in peak bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of inflorescences of‘Verdant Venture’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a view of the foliage of a 6-year-oldplant of ‘Verdant Venture’ in summer.

The photograph in FIG. 4 provides a view of the foliage coloration of a5-year-old plant of ‘Verdant Venture’ in the fall.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the Detailed Botanical Description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Amsonia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of one-year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown in 4-inch containers in Glencoe, Ill. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Average of three weeks; commencing in early            to mid-May and finishing in late May to early June in            northern Illinois.        -   Plant habit.—Low-growing mound.        -   Height and spread.—Average of 32 cm in height and 17 cm in            width for one-year-old potted plants, 44 cm in height and 70            cm in width for in-ground trial plants four years in age, 53            cm in height and 94 cm in width for in-ground trial plants            six years in age, and 71 cm in height and 1.39 m in width            for in-ground trial plants ten years in age.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to pests            or diseases has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, 162A in color.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.        -   Propagation.—Shoot tip and entire shoot cuttings.        -   Root development.—Root initiation occurs in an average of            one month and a rooted cutting will produce a plant with 3            to 5 stems in a one-quart pot in 12 months.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem size.—An average of 30 cm in length and 2 mm in width.        -   Stem shape.—Quadrilateral.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem color.—144A.        -   Stem surface.—Matte, sparsely fine pubescent.        -   Stem aspect.—Held upright to slightly outward.        -   Internode length.—An average of 4 mm.        -   Branching habit.—An average of 20 stems from base, each            flowering stem producing a single inflorescence.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Clasping.        -   Leaf apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, inconspicuous, matches leaf color            on upper and lower surfaces.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire, strongly rolled inward, no pubescence.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite and whorled.        -   Leaf surface texture.—Glabrous and dull on upper and lower            surfaces.        -   Leaf color (both surfaces).—Young foliage; 143B, mature            foliage; 143A, fall foliage; N144B to N144C and 150A to            150B.        -   Leaf size.—Up to 5 cm in length and 1.5 mm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 120 leaves per stem.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Panicle on terminus of main stems, one            per lateral branch unless pinched.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 to 4 weeks from the            opening of the first flower to senescence of last flower,            individual flower lasts about 5 days.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 6 cm in height and 4 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—Light floral scent.        -   Flower number.—An average of 8 per inflorescence.        -   Flower aspect.—Upright to outward.        -   Flower bud.—Spatulate in shape, acute apex, an average of 1            cm in length and 2 mm in width, color; 92B and calyx portion            93 and 144A, surface is glabrous.        -   Flower form.—Salverform.        -   Flower size.—An average of 1.5 cm in height and diameter.        -   Corolla tube.—An average of 5 mm in length and 2 mm in            width, color; N155A, outer surface glabrous, inner surface            densely covered with woolly pubescence, up to 2 mm in length            and NN155A in color, mouth of corolla tube visible and a            distinct band of N155A.        -   Corolla lobes.—5, narrowly ovate in shape, held nearly            horizontally when fully open, slightly overlapping, an            average of 1 cm in length and 3 mm in width, apex bifid with            a cleft 1 mm in depth and 0.5 mm in width, apex of lobes            rounded, base broadly cuneate and fused to tube, entire            margins, color; when opening inner and outer surfaces center            portion 97D, margins 97B, tip 97A, when fully open inner and            outer surface base 97D and 91D, center portion and margins            97B.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate in form, comprised of fused sepals with            linear shaped sepal tips free, an average of 1 mm in length            and 1.5 mm in width.        -   Sepals.—5, primarily fused with free tips, linear in shape,            entire margins, fused base (about 90%), aristulate apex, an            average of 2 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width, inner surface            texture; glabrous and shiny, outer surface texture; glabrous            and matte, 146A in color.        -   Peduncles.—Rounded in shape, an average of 2 cm in length            and 1 mm in width, held upright to outward, glabrous and            slightly glossy surface, 146A in color.        -   Pedicels.—Rounded in shape, an average of 1 cm in length and            1 mm in width, held upright to outward, glabrous and            slightly glossy surface, 146A in color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, 5 mm in length; stigma; rounded, N144A,            style is about 4 mm in length, and NN155B in color, ovary;            superior, round in shape, about 1 mm in length, 144A in            color.        -   Androecium.—5 stamens; anthers; dorsifixed, heart-shaped, an            average of 1 mm in length, and 202A in color, filaments;            fused petals, an average of 0.5 mm in length and 155A in            color, pollen is moderate in quantity and 16A in color.        -   Seeds.—None observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Amsonia plant named‘Verdant Venture’ as herein illustrated and described.